Southern Cross and Reunion/Lee Monument Dedication Ribbon of George Thaddeus Talley, 15th Va. Infantry

[cylekostello]

Managed to prevent this group from being split on eBay. Overpaid for the cross, underpaid for the ribbon. Worked out ok in the end. Been on the hunt for a 100% attributed AoNV Southern Cross and this fit the bill! The Corse's Brigade ribbon is interesting as well. Never seen another.

George Talley's War Service

George Thaddeus Talley was born in October 1837 in Hanover County. With the coming of war the 24 year old Talley would enlist in Company I of the 15th Virginia Infantry, the Hanover Grays.

Private Talley's first taste of combat would come during the Peninsula Campaign. After forcing McClellan back to Harrison's Landing the 15th would march north. At Sharpsburg Talley was in the thick of it at the west woods. Where his regiment slugged it out with my favorite federal formation, the 19th Massachusetts. At Sharpsburg the 15th would suffer among the highest casualties of Lee's Army. Nearly 59%.

After the bloodbath in Maryland the 15th would be assigned to Montgomery Corse's brigade in George Pickett's Division. But in February of 1863 Private Talley would furnish a substitute and (briefly) return to civilian life. In an ironic twist of fate, 1863 was the regiment's quietest year. Corse's Brigade was detached during Gettysburg and thus missed Pickett's date with destiny. And the balance of the year was spent skirmishing in eastern Tennessee.

Talley's hired substitute would almost immediately desert. And soon Talley would find himself drafted back into his old regiment. With whom he would serve the remainder of the war. Fighting at Drewey's Bluff, Cold Harbor and the trenches before Petersburg. Before eventually being captured at Sailor's Creek. Confined at Point Lookout Talley would take the Loyalty Oath in June and return to Hanover County.


Postwar

Post-war Talley would work on his farm Egyptfield. Later he would marry and have two children that lived to adulthood. And on May 29th 1890 Private Talley and the survivors of Corse's Brigade would attend the unveiling of Lee's Monument in Richmond. George Talley would eventually pass away on December 7, 1921.

Found a descendant while researching. He had a postwar photo of Talley that he graciously shared.
Talley is the beaded fellow in the back